Copper(I)-Catalyzed Aryl or Vinyl Addition to Electron-Deficient Alkenes Cascaded by Cationic Cyclization

Intramolecular cyclization of N-aryl amides for the synthesis of 3-amino oxindoles

A mild and efficient strategy to synthesize pharmaceutically important 3-amino oxindoles from readily available N-aryl amides has been developed. This unique reaction proceeds via the intramolecular cyclization of 2-azaallyl anions with N-aryl amides to afford 3-amino substituted oxindoles. This novel method avoids the direct usage of transition metal catalysts and additional oxidants. Furthermore, the anti-pulmonary fibrosis activity evaluation showed that 3-amino oxindole 2f significantly inhibited collagen deposition, which can ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis by reducing excessive extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition.

Photo-Driven Regiodivergent Arylation/Cyclization and Arylation/Hydroxylation of N-Aryl Methacrylamides with Aryltriazenes: Access to Functionalized 3,3-Disubstituted Oxindoles and α-Hydroxylamides

A metal-free, light-induced regiodivergent functionalization of α,β-unsaturated amides with aryltriazenes under ambient conditions was developed. The visible light and B(C6F5)3 cocatalyzed radical cascade arylation/cyclization of N-alkyl-N-arylmethacrylamides can obtain functionalized 3,3-disubstituted oxindoles with the assistance of photocatalyst eosin Y-Na2. In the absence of any catalyst, with purple light irradiation and electron-donor-acceptor (EDA) complex initiation, the radical cascade arylation/hydroxylation of N-arylmethacrylamides affords α-hydroxylamides. This methodology highlights the arts in accessing different regioisomers by altering the substrates and photocatalytic strategies.

Synthesis of Diarylalkanes by Photoreductive 1,2-Diarylation of Alkenes with Aryl Halides and Cyanoaromatics

We report a visible light-induced photoreductive strategy for three-component diarylation of alkenes with aryl halides and cyanoaromatics. Upon photoredox catalysis and with tertiary alkyl amines as the electron transfer agent, aryl halides selectively undergo halogen atom transfer to generate the aryl radicals and two C(sp2)-C(sp3) bonds between the cabron atoms are created in a radical addition and radical-radical coupling fashion to rapidly assemble diverse functionalized polyarylalkanes with high regio- and chemoselectivity. This method can be applied to broad feedstocks, including terminal alkenes, internal alkenes, aryl iodides, aryl bromides, aryl chlorides, electron-deficient benzonitriles, and isonicotinonitriles.

Remote 1,4-Carbon-to-Carbon Boryl Migration: From a Mechanistic Challenge to a Valuable Synthetic Application of Bicycles

The present paper reports a remote carbon-to-carbon boryl migration via an intramolecular 1,4-B/Cu shift, which establishes an in situ stereospecific electrophilic trap on the alkene moiety. The synthetic application is developed to prepare functionalized cyclopentenes by means of a palladium-catalyzed regioselective intramolecular coupling that completes a strategic cyclopropanation and generates valuable structural bicyclic systems. The mechanism is characterized by DFT (density functional theory) calculations which showed that the 1,4-migration proceeds through an intramolecular, nucleophilic attack of the copper-alkyl moiety on the boron atom bonded to the C(sp2), leading to a 5-membered boracycle structure. The computation of the 1,3- and 1,4-B/Cu shifts is also compared as is the impact of the endo- or exocyclic alkene on the reaction kinetics.

Electrochemical bromocyclization enables 3,5-diversification of heterocyclic indolines

Electrophilic bromocyclization reactions are widely used as key steps in the synthesis of diverse functionalized tetrahydrofuroindolines and hexahydropyrroloindolines. However, the direct dibromination variants of these reactions for the synthesis of 3,5-dibromoindolines remain undeveloped. Here, we report a protonic-acid-promoted electrooxidative protocol for the dearomative C3,C5-dibromocyclizations of tryptophol and tryptamine derivatives. This electrosynthetic approach, which enables direct selective construction of heterocyclic 3a,5a-dibromoindolines with inexpensive, non-hazardous NaBr as both the electrolyte and Br source, provides a convenient, practical method for the late-stage 3,5-diversification of heterocyclic indolines.

Photoinduced radical cascade domino Heck coupling of N-aryl acrylamide with vinyl arenes enabled by palladium catalysis

Here, a redox-neutral palladium-catalyzed photo-induced radical cascade domino Heck reaction of N-aryl acrylamide with vinyl arenes is described. A diverse range of bioactive oxindoles, featuring an all-carbon quaternary center, were synthesized. The reaction is proposed to proceed via an open-shell intermediate and occurs under mild reaction conditions, exhibiting excellent functional group tolerance. Importantly, the synthesized products can be readily transformed into biologically active molecules, including (±)-physostigmine and (±)-physovenine.

Photoinduced Alkyl/Aryl Radical Cascade for the Synthesis of Quaternary CF3-Containing Oxindoles and Indoline Alkaloids

Metal- and additive-free, photoinduced decarboxylative radical alkylation-cyclization of CF₃-acrylamides with alkyl redox-active esters provided the corresponding quaternary CF₃-oxindole derivatives in good yields. Notably, diaryliodonium salts also efficiently participated in the arylation-cyclization of CF₃-acrylamides in environmentally benign H₂O as a solvent. The present approach has been extended for the concise synthesis of CF₃-attached indoline alkaloid analogues, i.e., CF₃-(±)-desoxyeseroline, CF₃-(±)-esermethole, and CF₃-(±) progesterone receptor antagonists. The preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the reaction is likely to proceed through initial photoexcitation of redox-active ester/diaryliodonium salts followed by the SET process with acrylamide.

Synthesis of 3-substituted 2-oxindoles from secondary α-bromo-propionanilides via palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization

In contrast to aromatic halides, coupling reactions involving oxidative addition of alkyl halides, especially secondary or tertiary halides, to transition metals tend to be more challenging. Herein a palladium-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of α-bromo-propionanilides has been developed, delivering a series of 3-substituted 2-oxindoles in high yields. The method features easy to prepare starting materials, broad substrate scope and excellent functional group tolerance. A detailed mechanistic investigation has been performed.

Palladium-catalyzed tandem Heck/carbonylation/aminocarbonylation en route to chiral heterocyclic α-ketoamides

An unprecedented tandem carbonylation/aminocarbonylation triggered by palladium-catalyzed enantioselective Heck-type exocyclopalladation delivering chiral heterocyclic α-ketoamides has been developed.

Palladium-catalyzed cascade reactions of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chlorides with N-tosyl hydrazones: synthesis of alkene-functionalized oxindoles

An efficient approach for the construction of alkene-functionalized oxindoles was developed via palladium-catalyzed cascade reactions of alkene-tethered carbamoyl chlorides with N-tosyl hydrazones.

Ni-Catalyzed enantioselective reductive aryl-alkenylation of alkenes: application to the synthesis of (+)-physovenine and (+)-physostigmine

A Ni-catalyzed enantioselective reductive aryl-alkenylation of alkenes for the synthesis of functionalized oxindoles is developed. With this method, a concise formal synthesis of (+)-physovenine and (+)-physostigmine has been completed.

N-Arylations of trifluoromethylated N-acylhydrazones with diaryliodonium salts as arylation reagents

A novel and efficient N-arylation of trifluoromethylated N-acylhydrazones is described by using diaryliodonium salts as arylation reagents in the presence of copper salts. A wide variety of N-aryl acylhydrazones are obtained with good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions.

Palladium-Catalyzed Intermolecular Arylcarbonylation of Unactivated Alkenes: Incorporation of Bulky Aryl Groups at Room Temperature

A palladium-catalyzed intermolecular arylcarbonylation of unactivated alkenes has been developed. Unsymmetrical diaryliodonium salts (DAISs) were used as arylation reagents, the bulky aryl group (Ar_L ) of which was exclusively incorporated into the arylcarbonylated products, which contained the Ar_L group and a carboxylic ester group at the α- and β-carbon position, respectively, of the original terminal C-C double bond. The reaction features excellent chemo- and regioselectivity, high functional-group tolerance, and very mild reaction conditions.

Ppm Cu Catalyst Enables tert-Alkylation Followed by C-H Cyclization To Synthesize Substituted Oxindoles

In this paper, we established highly efficient Cu-catalyzed tandem tert-alkylation C-H cyclization of α-bromocarbonyls and methacrylamides to produce substituted oxindoles. The maximum turnover number was up to 48 000 with reasonable yield. Although the catalyst loadings were very low, the reaction was not involving radical chain reaction. The resulting oxindoles were able to transform into aza-multicyclic compound via a reduction.

Transition-Metal-Free Synthesis of N-Hydroxy Oxindoles by an Aza-Nazarov-Type Reaction Involving Azaoxyallyl Cations

A novel transition-metal-free method to construct N-hydroxy oxindoles by an aza-Nazarov-type reaction involving azaoxyallyl cation intermediates is described. A variety of functional groups were tolerated under the weak basic reaction conditions and at room temperature. A one-pot process was also developed to make the reaction even more practical. This method provides alternative access to oxindoles and their biologically active derivatives.

Synthesis of fluoro-functionalized diaryl-λ3-iodonium salts and their cytotoxicity against human lymphoma U937 cells

Conscious of the potential bioactivity of fluorine, an investigation was conducted using various fluorine-containing diaryliodonium salts in order to study and compare their biological activity against human lymphoma U937 cells. Most of the compounds tested are well-known reagents for fluoro-functionalized arylation reactions in synthetic organic chemistry, but their biological properties are not fully understood. Herein, after initially investigating 18 fluoro-functionalized reagents, we discovered that the ortho-fluoro-functionalized diaryliodonium salt reagents showed remarkable cytotoxicity in vitro. These results led us to synthesize more compounds, previously unknown sterically demanding diaryliodonium salts having a pentafluorosulfanyl (SF₅) functional group at the ortho-position, that is, unsymmetrical ortho-SF₅ phenylaryl-λ³-iodonium salts. Newly synthesized mesityl(2-(pentafluoro-λ⁶-sulfanyl)phenyl)iodonium exhibited the greatest potency in vitro against U937 cells. Evaluation of the cytotoxicity of selected phenylaryl-λ³-iodonium salts against AGLCL (a normal human B cell line) was also examined.

Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective Arylative Desymmetrization of Prochiral Cyclopentenes with Diaryliodonium Salts

A copper-catalyzed enantioselective arylative desymmetrization of prochiral cyclopentenes with diaryliodonium salts was developed. In the presence of a catalytic amount of a chiral copper-bisoxazoline complex, which was generated in situ, the reaction of 4-substituted or 4,4-disubstituted cyclopent-1-enes with diaryliodonium hexafluoroarsenates afforded the chiral arylated products in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity. A cyclohexyl-containing Box ligand was essential for the high enantioselectivity. Transformation of the enantiomerically enriched adducts into other chiral building blocks is also documented.

1,2-Diarylation of alkenes with aryldiazonium salts and arenes enabled by visible light photoredox catalysis

Visible light-driven three-component alkene 1,2-diarylation with aryldiazonium salts and arenes involving aryl C(sp²)–H functionalization is described.

Palladium-Catalyzed Direct C-H Trifluoroethylation of Aromatic Amides

A simple and direct C-H trifluoroethylation of aromatic amides has been developed. The protocol is applicable to a variety of aromatic amides, including ones derived from amino acids. The developed method can be used for further modifications of peptides. Preliminary mechanistic studies have been done by isolating the reaction intermediate.

Transition-metal-free halocarbocyclisation of acrylamides using K2S2O8

A novel and direct transition-metal-free oxidative halocarbocyclisation of acrylamides using inexpensive KX (X = I, Br, Cl) and K2S2O8 has been developed. This methodology not only provides an efficient way to construct valuable halogenated oxindoles in good to excellent yields, but also represents a novel strategy for C–X and C–C bond formation.

Transition-Metal-Free Direct C-H Arylation of Quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with Diaryliodonium Salts at Room Temperature

A method of synthesizing 3-arylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones using diaryliodonium tetrafluoroborates under mild conditions is described. This protocol has a wide substrate scope and enables direct C-H functionalization. The synthetic potential of this coupling was explored using a range of readily accessible diaryliodonium salts and quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones.

Visible-light-induced and iron-catalyzed methylation of N-arylacrylamides with dimethyl sulphoxide: a convenient access to 3-ethyl-3-methyl oxindoles

An efficient synthesis of 3-ethyl-3-methyl oxindoles by visible-light promoted and iron-catalyzed difunctionalization of N-arylacrylamides with dimethyl sulphoxide was developed.

Visible-light induced tandem radical cyanomethylation and cyclization of N-aryl acrylamides: access to cyanomethylated oxindoles

A visible-light induced cyanomethylation of N-aryl acrylamides with bromoacetonitrile followed by intramolecular cyclization has been explored.

Synthesis of oxindole from acetanilide via Ir(iii)-catalyzed C–H carbenoid functionalization

The Ir(iii)-catalyzed intermolecular C–H annulations of acetanilide with diazotized Meldrum's acid furnished the oxindole derivative. Brief synthetic applications of the synthesized oxindole were also demonstrated.

Aroyl chlorides as novel acyl radical precursors via visible-light photoredox catalysis

Abundant and inexpensive aroyl chlorides have been employed for the first time as novel acyl radical precursors in visible-light photocatalysis.

Pardon the Interruption: A Modification of Fischer's Venerable Reaction for the Synthesis of Heterocycles and Natural Products

This account provides an overview of our laboratory's studies of an unusual variant of the Fischer indolization reaction. We describe the discovery of the so-called 'interrupted Fischer indolization' and the development of the reaction from a methodological standpoint. In addition, our efforts to evaluate and apply this methodology in the context of akuammiline alkaloid total synthesis are discussed.

Copper(i)-catalyzed carbocyclization of acrylamide-tethered alkylidenecyclopropanes with diaryliodonium salts

We have developed a copper-catalyzed one-pot reaction to provide polycyclic benzazepine derivatives via acrylamide-tethered alkylidenecyclopropanes with diaryliodonium salts.